IANA Blog- November 2023

 Blog

Happy November,

As I’ve been continuing to pay attention to what’s going on in Palestine, one memorable moment I found myself in was arguing with a Nigerian on Facebook. He basically had a stupid way of saying “Palestinians are getting what they deserve,” and blamed it on their religion. I told him basically that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I even tried to explain how it’s all connected, unfortunately he wasn’t listening. Back and forth, the argument pretty much turned into insults and threats, and the argument ended with me telling him that he sounds like an idiot and needs to get off my page.

As I was continuing to spread awareness on what’s going on in Palestine, I remembered that there’s genocides happening in the Congo, in Sudan and the situation that’s going on in Haiti. Let’s look back at a small bit of history for each country and how they got where they are right now.

• Congo:

-The Democratic Republic of the Congo aka Congo and formerly known as Zaire and Congo-Leopoldville is the second largest country in Africa and during colonial rule, was under control of the Belgians. King Leopold II of Belgium, who was under control of Congo at the time, was responsible for the murder of 15 million Africans in Congo, including cutting off arms and limbs of others. Unfortunately, Leopold doesn’t get as much hatred or vitriol as Hitler does, even though he deserves every part of it. 

-In 1960, a nationalist movement known as the Congolese National Movement, was led by revolutionary freedom fighter Patrice Lumumba. He would help transform the country from a Belgian colony into an independent republic and would eventually become the country’s first Prime minister as a free country. He would continue to lead Congo, until his assassination in 1961, with involvement from the CIA and other Western powers and betrayal from former friend and U.S. puppet Mobutu, who worked with the CIA and the West to take out Lumumba with a coup and execute him. Mobutu would go on to be prime minister/dictator of Congo.

-Congo has $24 trillion of minerals in their country. One of the country’s main minerals are cobalt and copper. That mineral is used for many products such as batteries for cell phones and vaping products.

-Currently, the country is going through civil unrest, clashes between the rebel groups and the government, including violence in the Eastern region of Congo.

• Sudan

-Sudan is the third largest country by area in Africa. Sudan was home to the Kingdom of Kerna, the Egyptian New Kingdom and the Kingdom of Kush. After the fall of Kush, the Nubian people who mostly made up Sudan, formed three christian kingdoms. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Sudan would be populated by Arab nomads. Starting in the 16th century, central and eastern Sudan were dominated by the Funj sultanate and in the 19th century, Sudan was conquered by Egypt during the Muhammad Ali dynasty.

-Sudan would gain independence in 1956, and under the regime of Gaafar Nimeiry, the country would be under Islamist rule. This would cause a rift between the Islamic North, the government, and Christians in the South. Civil wars would break out, which would eventually lead to the independence of South Sudan in 2011.

-There is a civil war in Sudan, involving the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in many cities of Sudan, especially Darfur. There is also ethnic cleansing because of this “war” which has left over 4.8 million Sudanese people displaced from homes and 1.3 million being forced out of the country. The RSF is especially responsible for the majority of the murders and raiding of others homes.

• Haiti

-Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean by area. It occupies an island that it shares with the Dominican Republic. The island was originally inhabited by the Taino people while the first Europeans arrived in Haiti in 1492 during the first voyage of Christopher Columbus. Haiti was then claimed by the Spanish, which would be later ceded to France in 1697 and be named Saint-Domingue. The French would establish sugarcane plantations and bring in enslaved Africans, which made the colony the richest in the world at the time.

-During the French Revolution, enslaved Africans and free people of color launched the Haitian Revolution, the most successful slave revolt in World history. The Haitian Revolution started in 1791 and was led by revolutionary leaders Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines. They led the fight for Haiti’s independence from the French and Dessalines defeated Napoleon’s forces in 1804.

-After the successful revolt, Haiti was able to create an independent government, but could still feel the effects of France’s colonial rule. France also forced Haiti to pay back former slaveholders and members of the French government. Haiti also had to cut down their trees, which have led to natural disasters, including the devastating 2010 Earthquake.

-Currently, Haiti is being invaded by military officials over “gang violence.” The country is also still dealing with the aftermath of the Assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise.  They have already sent Kenyan police officials over there to “control” conflicts in Haiti.

Unfortunately, that is as much history I can provide for the countries, but what is going on in Palestine, is also going on in Congo, in Haiti, in Sudan, in other countries as well, especially ones I haven't even covered. I didn’t even mention what’s going on in Ethiopia or in Hawaii or in Armenia. It’s pretty much the struggle against imperialism, and it’s all interconnected. Hopefully this blog helps spread awareness of what’s going on, especially since a lot of people don’t even know what’s going on in other parts of the world. Hopefully whoever reads this is inspired to do something.